Reign of Darkness (The Prince's Assassin #2) - Ariana Nash Page 0,65

now. And keep Vasili close. Can you do that? I think we’ll all be working together soon. Caville and Yazdan, like it should be. We just need to get a few of the family on board—”

A firework exploded over their heads. Sparks rained over the crowd, eliciting a chorus of oohs and aahs. Red light spilled over the gardens.

The sound of glass shattering pulled Niko from the light show, and as he turned his head to check on Vasili, a man dressed in dark blue approached up the path, his lopsided grin broad across his lips, his stride absolute, and his eyes all-black.

Vasili’s wine glass lay broken on the path in front of him, and the prince stared at his brother.

Niko tossed his own glass, drew his blades, and launched forward, but Vasili was several strides ahead, and Amir was gaining.

“Who—” Roksana began. Niko didn’t hear the rest.

Another firework whistled overhead and exploded like a clap of thunder. Blue light rained. Blue for Cavilles.

Blue light hollowed Amir’s cheeks. He raised a pistol and pinned his aim on Vasili.

Niko wasn’t going to make it. The pistol would fire its lethal shot and Vasili would fall.

Amir pulled the arming hook on the pistol back. He closed one eye, tilted his head.

A shot barked. Niko flinched, expecting Vasili to fall, and by the gods, he’d gut Amir where he stood. But Amir spat a cry, dropped his pistol, and clutched his hand to his side. His glare scythed left, to where Yasir stood, smoke spiraling from his drawn pistol.

Vasili raised his hand, but not to Amir. “Nikolas, stop.”

Niko slowed, the order sinking into old soldiering muscles, making him hesitate.

The prince approached his brother. His pale hand tenderly pressed to Amir’s snarling face, drawing him up from his hunched position. He whispered something lost in the noise. The young king’s all-black eyes widened. His face fell, and Amir grabbed for his brother’s arm in desperation, as though Vasili were his only safe place.

Vasili withdrew a dagger from its hidden sheath at the small of his back. A dagger Amir, standing in front of him, couldn’t see.

If Vasili killed Amir here, what happened to the flame? Did it escape, or did it all funnel into Vasili? Niko recalled something about the Cavilles needing to be close to the palace to keep control, but all the information he had came from Vasili. What if the flame was too much? What if it tore through Vasili and devoured him mere feet from Niko?

Was this the moment he’d choose whether to save Vasili or kill him?

Amir tore free of Vasili and staggered backward, seeing the dagger in his brother’s hand. “You’d have killed me?” he asked, and he sounded small, like they were boys again.

“Amir,” Vasili reached out. “It must be controlled.”

Amir’s head tilted awkwardly. His lips parted in a macabre smile, and then the laughter began, deep and rolling. The sound boiled out of Amir, just like it had his father.

Niko was done waiting. He spun the blades in both hands, reversing his grip, and plowed in. Vasili barked another order, but this time he let it roll off. The dark flame glared out from inside the king, using his eyes to see, his body to move. Amir lifted his bloodied hand. Dark flame sparked alive in his palm, quickly consuming his hand. It danced up his arm. Amir flicked his wrist, and the flame lashed, cutting through the air toward Niko.

But the move was obvious, as obvious as the man wielding it, and Niko ducked, stepped aside, and bolted off his back boot. He slammed into Amir’s gut, tackling him clean off his feet. He’d never been heavy, but he was fast. Niko just needed to pin him down. The king slammed into the ground with Niko sprawled over him.

He still laughed, and madness flashed in his black eyes.

A horrible, hungry cold crawled over Niko, its touch spilling from Amir’s body.

“Look out!” Roksana yelled.

The shimmer of fireworks on a blade to Niko’s right. He ducked, but a stinging heat still zipped across his shoulder. Roksana’s right hook smacked across the attacker’s jaw, rocking him on his feet. A stranger, just someone from the crowd. But his eyes… “He’s possessed!” Niko yelled. And he wasn’t alone.

Others broke from the crowd, their eyes empty and soulless. Six, eight… more… everywhere.

Amir’s laughter suddenly ended, cut off like a candle snuffed out. “You cannot fight me.” The voice was warped and twisted, sounding like it had been wretched up from